


Like Father, Like Son

by SakuraMota



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Precious dragonson needs to bond with his dramatic Papa
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-03
Updated: 2018-05-03
Packaged: 2019-05-01 20:59:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14529060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SakuraMota/pseuds/SakuraMota
Summary: On the way to his usual training field to turn into a dragon, Kana comes across a strange man with amazing sword techniques.  But wait...is that stranger...his father?





	Like Father, Like Son

**Author's Note:**

> I was going to sit on this for a while and release it after I finished Aching Blood, Trembling Heart, but then Heroes released my precious dragonson, and I felt the need to celebrate. So have some Kana admiring Papa-Odin/Owain.
> 
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> ~~Also, it's totally fine to assume this is in Aching Blood's canon, since that fic is my headcanons for this family anyway.~~
> 
>  
> 
> ~~Also I'm horrible at titles~~

_Like Father, Like Son_

A Fire Emblem Fates Story

 

Chapter One 

_Papa’s Secret Training Ground_

 

Kana sighed grumpily, kicking up dirt as he shuffled away from the armory.  He had wanted to help his mother with the inventory, but she had shooed him away, telling him to go play outside instead.  The blonde boy picked up a rock and tossed it into the nearby river that ran throughout their camp in the Astral Plane. Despite his meager ten years, Kana was more than willing to pull his own weight within the army.  After all, he hadn’t joined his parents and sister for fun; he understood that the war was very serious, and all he wanted was to prove that he could be useful. It was bad enough he had to beg his mother to let him join in battle, and even then, she had insisted that he take on a more supportive role, offering healing in addition to his ability to turn into a dragon.  Kana had been crestfallen at the idea of this until his father, Odin, had told him a story about his grandmother, who it turned out was a renowned healer. Feeling this connection to his paternal grandmother, who he knew lived in another world—the world Papa had come from—made him feel a bit better about it.

Kana walked along the bank of the river, making his way toward the outer walls of camp.  Maybe he would go practice changing into a dragon, then. If he couldn’t help out in camp, he could at least do some training for battle.  He decided he liked this idea, and he retrieved his dragonstone from a satchel on his hip. He thumbed over the teardrop-shaped stone, smiling nostalgically at it.  Not so long ago, his mother had given him this very stone, charging him to keep it with him always. Without it, he couldn’t keep control when he was in dragon form, so he was always certain he had it on his person.

He trailed onward, past the camp gates and down the main road.  When he reached a fork in the road, he took a right, wandering off the path and making his way down an embankment to the river, the same river that eventually flowed into their camp.  He walked along the shore, humming cheerily to himself. He was headed for his secret practice field, and the prospect of turning into a dragon had put him in a good mood. He tossed his dragonstone in his left hand, catching it each time as it fell back down.

He had walked a good ten minutes out of camp when he finally reached the forest that eventually opened into the clearing where he liked to practice.  He entered into the tree line, his arms held out for balance as he walked along tree roots on his tiptoes, still humming a tune and smiling to himself.  His mood shifted suddenly when he heard shouting in the distance.

Kana stood upright, his pointed ears straining, listening.  He gripped the dragonstone in his left hand a bit tighter. Was it bandits?  He was too far from the camp to call for help. Stowing his dragonstone, Kana slinked along between trees in silence, carefully placing his feet to make the least noise possible.  From the sounds of the shouting, it was only one man, and Kana also heard several distinct swishing noises—sword swings? As the voice grew louder in his approach, he decided to climb a tree, partly to get a better view but also to obtain some relative safety from a possible ambush.  Once he had climbed a fair height, he kneeled on a tree branch, holding onto another branch above him for balance. Shielding his eyes, he peered around until he spotted his target just a short distance from him.

A man stood in a small clearing, obviously practicing his sword technique.  His stance was very distinct, and Kana didn’t recognize it as a style from either Hoshido or Nohr.  It almost seemed foreign. So did the man’s clothes, for that matter. The bright yellow tunic stood out amongst the forest green, the ends of the short sleeves lined with what looked like fur of some kind.  The man wore gauntlets of similar make; there was fur around the hands, too, as well as on the tops of his boots, contrasting his offwhite pants. A bright red sash belted in place sectioned his torso, some sort of ornament hanging from it.  The three long tails of the tunic flowed around him as he shifted through his sword forms, his movements liquid and decisive. Kana’s jaw fell open slightly, in awe of the almost beauty of the man’s technique. It wasn’t until the stranger stopped and stood straight, sheathing his blade, that Kana recognized him.

“Papa??” he said, his eyebrows rising.

There was no doubt: the man in the clearing was definitely Odin.  The way he stood now was so uniquely his father, running a hand over his blonde hair—the same hair Kana had inherited.  But...why was his father using a sword? And using it so _well?_  Odin was a mage, and even though Kana knew that his father originally came from another world where he had a different name, Kana always assumed his father had been a mage there, as well.  So why was he out in the woods doing strange sword forms, and in such funny clothes?

Kana shimmied down the tree trunk and moved closer for a better view.  Odin had moved across the small clearing to his belongings, where he had retrieved a water pouch, which he was currently draining.  Kana decided to climb another tree; this one’s branches overlooked the meadow, so he could watch from above without being noticed. He settled on a tree branch, his legs dangling but still concealed amongst the foliage.

Odin hung the water pouch on a knot of a nearby tree and strolled back to the center of the glade.  He stopped, his fists on his hips, and closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. Raising his right arm and obscuring his face, he exhaled slowly.  “Right,” he said, grinning to himself, his hand still covering his face. He pivoted on a heel, taking a step forward and outstretching his arm.  “Halt, villain!” he shouted at his imaginary foe. “Know ye not that you stand before the legendary swordsman, Owain Dark?!”

Kana straightened, recognizing his father’s true name, and he beamed in awe.  He loved listening to his father’s monologues. Papa always had the best lines, and he made it look so _easy_.  Kana often tried to imitate him, but he always ended up sounding so stiff and almost unnatural.  Even his sister, Ophelia, who emulated their father as well, didn’t have the sheer vocabulary and panache that Papa did.  And Papa looked to be in fine form today. Kana gripped the branch beneath him a bit tighter; he was in for a treat.

Owain chuckled in his throat.  “You must have great skill if you’ve targeted me, fiend!  But be warned!” he shouted, unsheathing his blade. “My power emanates from a wellspring deeper than time!  You shall not stand victorious against the scion of legend!” He crouched in his stance, his sword at the ready.  “Prepare to meet your DOOM!”

Kana leaned forward, his grin reaching his ears as he watched his father do battle with his fictitious opponent.  Each sword stroke fluidly transitioned into the next, almost like a dance. He bantered as he moved, parrying non-existent attacks with ease and countering with his own shouted attack names.  Kana’s eyes followed his actions, almost hypnotized by the grandeur and smoothness of his father’s battle style. He was so enthralled by the show that he didn’t realize he had leaned too far forward, and…

“A worthy foe!” Owain yelled, parrying again before spinning in a circle.  “Very well! It’s time for my ultimate technique! Steel of the Radiant Daw—AAAAHHHH!!!”

Owain screamed, his voice shooting up an octave as Kana fell from his perch and landed in the bushes below with a loud crunching of branches, punctuated by his own yelp before he thudded to the ground.

Owain shifted, his sword pointed in the direction of the noise, his hands still trembling from the startle he had received.  “Wh-Who dares to try to ambush the chosen hero?? Come out, fell interloper!”

The bushes shook, and Kana emerged from within them, crawling on his hands and knees and rubbing at his head.

Owain immediately lowered his guard.  “Kana??” He dropped his sword, shifting straightway into parent mode, rushing to the boy.  “Good gods, are you all right?” he asked, helping his son to his feet and dusting his clothes.  He looked him over, turning his chin this way and that with a hand to ensure the boy hadn’t sustained any injuries.  “Anything broken? Do you need a healer?”

“I’m all right, Papa,” Kana said, thumbing his nose and looking away as Owain removed several twigs and leaves from the boy’s hair.  He blushed, ashamed of his tumble and the way his father was fussing over him.

Owain gripped the boy’s shoulder and sighed, his other hand on his chest.  “Gods, you scared me, Kana,” he said, his posture relaxing. Assured that his son was uninjured, Owain furrowed his brow at him.  “What were you doing up there, anyway? And why are you so far away from camp? You know you’re not supposed to go out alone.”

Kana shifted nervously at his father’s scolding, still not meeting his gaze.  “There’s a field not far from here where I go to practice using my dragonstone,” he explained, eyeing his feet.  “But I heard noises, and I thought it was bandits, so I climbed a tree to get a better look around.”

Owain chuckled in his throat, his face shifting from hardened to impressed.  “An excellent instinct, my second-born,” he said, squeezing the boy’s shoulder.  “Clearly your mother and I have taught you well. I’m guessing I was the bandit you heard, eh?”  Kana nodded at him, and Owain tilted his head. “Then why did you stay hidden? Once you figured out it was your father and not some shameless bandit, you could have announced your presence.”

Kana continued to watch his feet, his face reddening, his expression sheepish.  “I wanted to watch you practice,” he admitted, putting his hands behind his back, his posture contrite.  “I figured you would stop if you knew I was here.”

Owain opened and closed his mouth a few times, his face flooding pink.  He released Kana’s shoulder and rubbed at the back of his neck. “You really should warn a guy if he has an audience, Kana,” he said.  “Being secretly mocked isn’t exactly fun for me…”

“What? No!” Kana gasped, shaking his head briskly.  “Papa, you’re _amazing!_  I’ve never seen anyone use a sword like you!  That one Sacred Stones move where you spin around in a circle,” Kana gushed, imitating the motion, “and then that line about the wellspring of time, and—”

Owain couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  He listened as his son recounted his theatrics, an ecstatic, awed tone in his voice.  Did...Did his son really appreciate him that much? He was used to Ophelia enjoying his escapades, but Kana always seemed to look to his mother with that same sort of admiration.  He never faulted his wife this, because she truly was an incredible woman and deserved to be praised by someone other than himself. But he had always assumed this meant Kana felt less adoration for him, which admittedly stung, but Owain had come to accept it.  Watching his son as he twirled and jabbered excessively about him was too much. A pang of glee struck his chest, and he clenched his fist, unable to contain his grin.

“That you would heap such praise upon your father brings immense joy to his heart, my dear Kana,” he said, his shoulders shaking from the sheer delight threatening to erupt out of him.  He ruffled the boy’s hair, his teeth flashing. “Seriously, thanks, kiddo.”

Kana giggled at the sign of affection.  “Of course!” he said, grinning. “But I didn’t know that you knew how to use a sword, Papa.”

Owain scratched his head, his expression hesitant.  “Yeah...I haven’t really used one much since I came to Nohr,” he admitted, turning to retrieve the blade he had dropped.

“Did you use one back in your home world, then?” Kana asked, trailing behind his father.

“I did indeed!” Owain said, bending to pick up his sword.  He flicked the blade around in his hand a few times before sheathing it.  “The style of sword fighting I employ is a sacred technique, passed down only within the royal house of Ylisse.  Because my identity must remain a secret, I thought it best to keep my sword use to a minimum here. However, I come out here sometimes to practice, just to keep the rust at bay,” he said, winking at his son.

“That makes sense,” Kana said, nodding.  He paused, scratching the back of his palm, a nervous twitch.  “Do you think you could teach me? To use a sword, I mean?”

Owain’s eyebrows raised, his surprise obvious.  “You...want to learn?” he asked, tilting his head.

“Yes!” Kana said, his arms drawn up to his chest and his fists clenched.  “Mama only let’s me fight as a dragon, but…” He sighed, his face falling a little.  “I want to be able to be strong on my own, like you and Mama and Ophelia. I want to be able to protect all of you.”

Gods, was the boy trying to kill him?  His heart couldn’t take the level of pride swelling within him.  Smiling sympathetically, Owain placed a hand on Kana’s head. “I understand, but Kana...you’re still only a child.  You need not rush the hands of time so urgently.”

“But I need to be able to help you _now!_ ” Kana protested.  “If I wait until I’m a grown up, it might be too late.  What if something happens to you or Mama because I wasn’t strong enough to save you?”

Owain paused, his heart sinking.  A pang of guilt washed over him, guilt he had long ago buried deep within him.  He had sworn to shield his children from the anguish he had experienced in the hellscape that was his birth era, but now his son stood before him, parroting the same anxiety he had once endured.  He sighed, squatting in front of the boy to get on his level. “Listen, Kana,” he said, taking the boy’s hands into his own. “When I was a bit older than you, I felt the same. Unfortunately for me, I got to see firsthand the cost of my own weakness.  In the future I came from, I lost both of my parents to war, and at the time I felt it was because I wasn’t strong enough to protect them. I vowed when I returned to the past that I wouldn’t let that happen again.”

“See?” Kana said, his voice desperate.  “You understand, don’t you, Papa?”

“You didn’t let me finish,” Owain said, grinning up at him.  He sat cross-legged and pulled the boy down into his lap. “In my time, my father died taking an arrow that was meant for me.  Back then, I thought it was my fault, that I wasn’t strong enough to stop it from happening. But,” he said, putting an arm around the boy’s shoulders, “now, as a parent myself, I understand that my own strength or weakness had nothing to do with it.  My father sacrificed his life for me because he wanted to shield me from pain, not because he thought I was weak. You see, parents, we...we don’t want our children to suffer, and we do everything we can to prevent that from happening.”

“But…” Kana said, his voice cracking in a sob.  Tears welled at the corners of his eyes. “Papa, that’s not fair--”

“You keep interrupting me,” Owain said, his expression harsh but his voice tender, and he squeezed the boy into a hug, wrapping his other arm around him.  He held his son for a moment, resting his chin on the crown of his head. “But, saving me from that one moment of pain, that one arrow in the back, only made my burdens that much heavier when I lost him.  My father didn’t see that saving me ultimately meant hurting me more in the end.” He sat up and looked Kana in the eye, wiping his thumbs at the corners to clean his face of tears. “To be honest, I had forgotten that, and as your father, I apologize.  You’re absolutely right, it’s unfair to you for me to shield you as I have, causing you to feel all the same worries I felt. Thank-you for reminding me,” he said, smiling gently at him.

Kana sniffed, rubbing at his eyes.  “But you still won’t teach me, will you?” he said, his face darkening.

“On the contrary, my dearest son,” Owain said, his voice picking up its usual timbre.  “Nothing would bring me greater pleasure than to pass down to you the secrets of the Halidom.  However,” he said said, causing the boy’s brightening expression to fall a little, “I am soul-bound to reveal everything to your mother, so without her permission, I cannot not teach you.”

His shoulders slumping, Kana sighed.  “Then I should forget it. There’s no way Mama will say yes.”

“Of course there is,” Owain disagreed, “especially if I argue in your favor.”

Kana looked up at his father, who was beaming at him.  His jaw fell, and he gasped, throwing his arms around the man’s neck.  “Papa, you’re the best!” he shouted in his ear, grinning as his father laughed and returned the hug.  He leaned into Owain’s neck. “I love you, Papa.”

“I love you too, Kana,” Owain said with a chuckle, giving the boy a squeeze.

“Oh!” Kana said, sitting back, his hands on Owain’s shoulders.  “Can you show me that one move again, though? And I want to know if you ended up winning the battle, too!”

His face cracking with elation, Owain closed his eyes, smirking.  “Of course, my son! For this too is apart of your birthright!”

Kana beamed back at him, a giggle in his voice.  “Papa, you’re so awesome!”

**Author's Note:**

> I plan to do more father-son escapades in the future (as well as a mother-daughter fic for Ophelia-Corrin), but this will probably be updated infrequently, please don't kill me.


End file.
